Kyle Walker 'wanted to cry' on leaving Manchester City for AC Milan, 'ultimate objective' 100 England caps
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Published 05/04/2025 at 09:19 GMT+1
Kyle Walker has quickly become a mainstay in the AC Milan back four, but the 34-year-old admitted on 'The Kyle Walker Podcast' that he was almost moved to tears when he left Manchester City on loan in January. He also said his "ultimate objective" was to reach 100 England caps. Walker's AC Milan take on Fiorentina in a Serie A blockbuster on Saturday evening, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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Kyle Walker has admitted he "wanted to cry" when he left Manchester City for AC Milan on loan in January.
The England international, who earned his 94th and 95th caps against Albania and Latvia respectively in March, also said the Italian club were one you "can’t say no to".
Walker is expected to line up for the seven-time UEFA Champions League winners against Europe-chasing Fiorentina on Saturday evening, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
But even though the 34-year-old has become an immediate regular fixture in the AC Milan backline, Walker revealed his potentially temporary exit from City was not free from emotion.
"The lady there, Emma, who would be behind the counter and serve you food and get you drinks - even when I looked over at her, I wanted to cry," said the right-back on The Kyle Walker Podcast.
"Every day I've said [good] morning to her and given her a cuddle, and all of a sudden I'm not going to see her anymore.
"You don't think about that when the [transfer] process is happening, but then when you come to say goodbye, it's hard."
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Walker noted that part of his reasoning for moving to a top European league and historic European club was his "ultimate objective" of reaching a century of England caps.
"I wasn’t playing for Manchester City, so I wanted to play football, and I wanted to come to Europe," said Walker.
"That was a big thing for me, to either stay in the Premier League or come to a big team in Europe, because my ultimate objective is trying to get to 100 caps for my country.
"When certain things or certain opportunities come, you have to take it. You have to take it. And for me to experience a different league, for me to experience a different culture, for me to play for a club like AC Milan, I don’t think you can turn that down.
"I think there are certain clubs in the world that you can’t say no to."
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Man City chapter 'not fully closed' for Walker
But even though Walker admitted the quality of the AC Milan squad was "frightening", the former Tottenham defender left the door open for the possibility of returning to fight for his place at City.
"Listen, we all know it’s not been a great season so far. We can finish the season well," said Walker, whose loan side currently sit ninth in Serie A, nine points behind fourth-place Bologna.
"I've got no bad words, nothing negative to say whatsoever about City. What that club's done for me both on and off the field is incredible," added Walker.
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"When you take yourself away from the bubble, you think about how lucky you were. That's no disrespect to any of the other clubs I played for, but the seven years we had there, I don't think it will happen again in football.
"But, after I said my goodbyes, Pep [Guardiola] got up and spoke and said a really nice message to me, just saying thank you for everything. But, listen, it's not over. I'm just on loan here.
"I've got to take that into consideration that I can go back. Obviously, both parties need to come to an agreement come the end of the season and listen, the chapter's not fully closed, but we'll see what happens."
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